The Reluctant Dragon

Name: The Reluctant Dragon
Genre: Animation, Family, Comedy
Released: 1941-06-19
Duration: 1 h 14 min
Rating: 6.6
Cast: Robert Benchley, Frances Gifford, Buddy Pepper, Nana Bryant, Claud Allister

1941·Movie·G·74 min·★ 6.6(162)

Animation Family Comedy More English titles

“The big feature show with a thousand surprises!”

Humorist Robert Benchley attempts to find Walt Disney to ask him to adapt a short story about a gentle dragon who would rather recite poetry than be ferocious. Along the way, he is given a tour of Walt Disney Studios, and learns about the animation process.

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Where to watch The Reluctant Dragon in United States

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Click a service to open The Reluctant Dragon there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.

Where is The Reluctant Dragon streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	Disney Plus	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
United Kingdom	—	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Canada	Disney Plus	Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Australia	Disney Plus	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
Brazil	Disney Plus, Looke	—
Japan	—	FOD

About The Reluctant Dragon

The Reluctant Dragon is a 1941 English-language animation, family and comedy film directed by Alfred L. Werker and Hamilton Luske. The cast is led by Robert Benchley, Frances Gifford, Buddy Pepper. It has a runtime of 1h 14m. Viewers rate it 6.6/10 across 200 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Disney Plus.

The Reluctant Dragon was produced by Walt Disney Productions and made in United States of America. It was released on June 19, 1941, and carries a G certification.

Director: Alfred L. Werker, Hamilton Luske
Writers: Larry Clemmons, Kenneth Grahame, Ted Sears
Release date: June 19, 1941
Original language: English
Age rating: G
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Budget: $0 million
Production: Walt Disney Productions

#dragon#live action and animation

The Reluctant Dragon cast & crew

The Reluctant Dragon was directed by Alfred L. Werker and Hamilton Luske and written by Larry Clemmons, Kenneth Grahame, and Ted Sears.

The cast features Robert Benchley as Robert Benchley, Frances Gifford as Doris, Buddy Pepper as Humphrey, Nana Bryant as Mrs. Benchley, Claud Allister as Sir Giles (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice), and Barnett Parker as Dragon (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice).

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Larry Morey, cinematography is by Winton C. Hoch, and it was produced by Walt Disney.

Is The Reluctant Dragon worth watching?

The Reluctant Dragon holds an audience score of 6.6/10 from 162 ratings, a solidly received animation films.

At 1h 14m, it's an easy, time-light watch.

If you enjoy animation, family, and comedy, The Reluctant Dragon is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch The Reluctant Dragon

In United States, you can stream The Reluctant Dragon on Disney Plus, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.